A collision warning device for motor vehicles includes a locating sensor, a lane recognition module for detecting the number of traffic lanes in the road on which the vehicle is traveling, and a decision unit to output a warning signal if a danger parameter (ttc) determined using the data from the locating sensor exceeds a threshold value, the threshold value being variable depending on the number of traffic lanes in such a way that the warning signal is issued earlier when the number of lanes is greater.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A collision warning device for motor vehicles, comprising: a locating sensor; a lane recognition module configured to recognize a number of traffic lanes in a road on which a host vehicle is traveling, wherein the number of traffic lanes include lanes in a direction the host vehicle is traveling and oncoming lanes; and a decision unit configured to output a warning signal if a danger parameter determined on a basis of data from the locating sensor exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is variable depending on the number of traffic lanes in such a way that the warning signal is issued earlier when there are more lanes.
2. The collision warning device according to claim 1 , wherein the danger parameter is a function of a precalculated time to collision.
3. The collision warning device according to claim 1 , wherein the danger parameter is a function of a necessary acceleration to avoid a collision.
4. The collision warning device according to claim 1 , wherein the decision unit reacts to both moving and stationary objects detected by the locating sensor.
5. The collision warning device according to claim 4 , wherein different threshold values are provided for stationary and moving objects, and at least the threshold value provided for stationary objects is variable depending on the number of traffic lanes.
6. The collision warning device according to claim 1 , wherein the lane recognition module is configured to recognize the number of traffic lanes based on the data supplied by the locating sensor about detected objects.
7. The collision warning device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a distance regulating system configured to regulate a distance of the host vehicle from a preceding vehicle traveling in a same lane.
8. A method for detecting a collision for motor vehicles, comprising: determining objects around a host vehicle by a locating sensor; calculating a number of traffic lanes in a road on which a host vehicle is traveling by a lane recognition module, the number of traffic lanes including lanes in a direction the host vehicle is traveling and oncoming lanes; and outputting a warning signal by a decision unit if a danger parameter determined on a basis of data from the locating sensor exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is variable depending on the number of traffic lanes in such a way that the warning signal is issued earlier when there are more lanes.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the danger parameter is a function of a precalculated time to collision.
10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the danger parameter is a function of a necessary acceleration to avoid a collision.
11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the decision unit reacts to both moving and stationary objects detected by the locating sensor.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein different threshold values are provided for stationary and moving objects, and at least the threshold value provided for stationary objects is variable depending on the number of traffic lanes.
13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the lane recognition module is configured to recognize the number of traffic lanes based on the data supplied by the locating sensor about detected objects.
14. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising: regulating a distance of the host vehicle from a preceding vehicle traveling in a same lane by a distance regulating system.
15. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising: regulating a distance of the host vehicle from a preceding vehicle traveling in a same lane by a distance regulating system; wherein the danger parameter is a function of a precalculated time to collision.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the decision unit reacts to both moving and stationary objects detected by the locating sensor, and wherein different threshold values are provided for stationary and moving objects, and at least the threshold value provided for stationary objects is variable depending on the number of traffic lanes.
17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the lane recognition module is configured to recognize the number of traffic lanes based on the data supplied by the locating sensor about detected objects.
18. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising: regulating a distance of the host vehicle from a preceding vehicle traveling in a same lane by a distance regulating system; wherein the danger parameter is a function of a necessary acceleration to avoid a collision.
19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the decision unit reacts to both moving and stationary objects detected by the locating sensor, and wherein different threshold values are provided for stationary and moving objects, and at least the threshold value provided for stationary objects is variable depending on the number of traffic lanes.
20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the lane recognition module is configured to recognize the number of traffic lanes based on the data supplied by the locating sensor about detected objects.
21. The collision warning device according to claim 1 , wherein the danger parameter is a function of a precalculated time to collision, and wherein the decision unit reacts to both moving and stationary objects detected by the locating sensor.
22. The collision warning device according to claim 21 , wherein different threshold values are provided for stationary and moving objects, and at least the threshold value provided for stationary objects is variable depending on the number of traffic lanes.
23. The collision warning device according to claim 21 , further comprising: a distance regulating system configured to regulate a distance of the host vehicle from a preceding vehicle traveling in a same lane; wherein the lane recognition module is configured to recognize the number of traffic lanes based on the data supplied by the locating sensor about detected objects.
24. The collision warning device according to claim 1 , wherein the danger parameter is a function of a necessary acceleration to avoid a collision, and wherein the decision unit reacts to both moving and stationary objects detected by the locating sensor.
25. The collision warning device according to claim 24 , wherein different threshold values are provided for stationary and moving objects, and at least the threshold value provided for stationary objects is variable depending on the number of traffic lanes.
26. The collision warning device according to claim 24 , further comprising: a distance regulating system configured to regulate a distance of the host vehicle from a preceding vehicle traveling in a same lane; wherein the lane recognition module is configured to recognize the number of traffic lanes based on the data supplied by the locating sensor about detected objects.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 31, 2008
December 11, 2012
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